The present invention relates to a vehicle seat assembly and in particular to a seat assembly with a front panel to automatically extend the effective length of the vehicle seat cushion in the event of an accident.
Current automobile design standards require that the vehicle contain features to protect unbelted occupants as well as belted occupants. The most well known features to protect an occupant are airbags and automatic belt systems. The airbags or automatic belts are used to restrain the upper torso of a vehicle occupant. The lower torso of an occupant is restrained by knee bolsters in the vehicle instrument panel. However, for the bolsters to be effective, the knees of the occupant must be fairly close to the bolsters before the vehicle collision.
Since the driver's seat must be adjusted to a position that enables the driver to reach the vehicle control pedals, the driver's knees will be positioned fairly close to the instrument panel knee bolsters. However, for occupants seated in the passenger seat of the vehicle, it is not uncommon for the seat to be adjusted too far rearwardly for the knee bolsters to be effective in preventing the occupant from moving forward, off the seat cushion during a frontal impact collision. Without restraint to prevent a seat occupant from moving forward, the occupant can move forward, off the seat cushion. With the legs bent at the knees, the occupant's torso will then fall to the floor forward of the seat cushion between the instrument panel, the airbag (if the vehicle is so equipped) and the front edge of the seat cushion. This can cause severe back injuries as well as facial and head injuries.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a support panel for extension from the front of the seat cushion, during a front impact collision, to increase the effective length of the seat cushion and thereby prevent an unbelted occupant from falling down in front of the seat cushion.
It is a feature of the present invention to provide a panel which is rotatably mounted at the front of the seat cushion and stored in a position where the panel forms the front of the seat cushion. During a frontal impact resulting in a deceleration of the vehicle greater than a predetermined level, the panel is automatically deployed to a support position extending forward from the seat cushion. The panel is automatically locked in place to support a seat occupant who has moved forward, onto the panel. Before the occupant can slide forward off the panel, the occupant's knees will strike the knee bolster. This prevents the occupant from dropping down in front of the seat cushion and prevents injuries resulting therefrom. A bias spring urges the support panel to the deployed position. An inertia release latch holds the support panel in its stowed position until the seat experiences the predetermined deceleration necessary to deploy the panel.
Further objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following description and the appended claims when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.